First Love
by Nidawi
Summary: A long time a go a boy was turned into a squirrel. Today that boy is king and wishing he could change one event in his past...


Disclaimer: The Arthurian legend belongs to…..the people of U.K.? The squirrel is from the movie. I am only a long time reader with an overactive imagination.

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I want to clarify a few things. Ever since I saw this movie when I was little I have been reading about King Arthur. The squirrel scene has always stuck with me, especially when I read about Arthur being heartbroken over Gwenevire. I bought the movie, saw it again and this scene formed in my head. Hope you like it. It's mostly taken from the legends and movie, I read the TSITS book but didn't use it much.

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He laid his back against a tree. The woods were the only place where none would interfere with his thoughts. No knights asking what to do, no sister wanting to have a long talk with him, no friend, no wife, no son…no one reminding him they had told him so. No king…just him…just Arthur…

"Wart." He said to himself out loud wanting to even disappear from being Arthur, the king, the leader. At that moment, his grief, his sadness, all exploded, tears pouring from his eyes. He borrowed his face in his arms, crossed over his bent legs. He wished he had never pulled the sword from the stone, never met Merlin, and never became King.

After pulling the sword, life had gone down hill. At first he had seem it with a positive view. Then came the festival. At first he had considered it the best night of his life. Merlin had kept talking to him about it, Arthur only told him he could never ruin that night. Then he met his sister Morgaine. She spoke of a night in a festival like none other. Arthur remembered it to. After that Morgaine disappeared for a long time. Around that time, he had met the young princess Gwenevire. Once more Merlin warned him, once more he ignored. He was in love. She would bring happiness, not sadness. If only he had heard. Morgaine came back, in time to show her a completed Camelot. Arthur began building his knights. Things were going excellent. His sister, who seem a little sick when she came back was getting better, him and Gwenevire were immensely happy even if they didn't have an heir and the number of his knights was growing, old friends like Kay his step brother and Gawain his cousin, new friends like Lancelot. He was even a good friend of the queen. But after a time, the friendship between his wife and his best friend worried him. He didn't even need Merlin to see it. Gawain asked him about it once, in joke, and Arthur had answered he was sure of his wife's love for him. But doubt lingered in the young king's mind.

Arthur tried to clear his mind on a trip confident enough to leave Lancelot with Gwenevire. When he had left Camelot was in bliss. His wife had pleaded him not to leave, to let Rome solve it's problems by itself. He assured her he would be back before she could even miss him. Her goodbye was so loving Arthur couldn't even think about doubting her. Little did the king know that events would unfold while he was away, changing everything. When he finally arrived back home a year had passed. He didn't have to cross the gates to feel the tension in the air. But Arthur did all he could to relax his people. He helped King Mark when the situation with his nephew Tristan, one of his knights, happened. He helped Merlin and Morgan with the relations between the Christians and the Pagans. He helped his knights on all their quests. He even helped Kay reach what he thought was unreachable, the hand of Princess Anna, who he discovered was actually his sister. Arthur had lent a helping hand to everyone. And during all that time he had pretended not to know. Not to see the stares. To believe Gwenevire was merely sick and wanted to spend time in her own chambers. The castles walls were think, but not enough. And then…there was Mordred. His nephew. He had welcomed him with open arms, added him to the table, trained him as a knight. And now Mordred revealed his true colors. He told Arthur who the woman in the festival was, his mother, Arthur's own sister Morgan. He wanted Arthur to make him his heir. And he began accusing Gwenevire and Lancelot of betrayal, railing knights to his side when Arthur denied everything. He had promised he would catch the Queen and her lover. And if that happened…Arthur couldn't deny anymore.

Arthur groaned and threw his head back. By now he had completely forgotten about the tree on which he had been leaning and hit himself hard against its trunk, a scream coming out of the King's mouth. He held the back of his head, cursing under his breath. Arthur touched the back checking to see the damage. Seeing there was nothing but a slight bump he leaned back again and sighed closing his eyes. Suddenly he felt something in his hair. Arthur jumped and looked at the part of the tree were he had been lying against. There stood a red squirrel looking at him with wide black eyes. Arthur stood looking at it for a moment. Suddenly, a low chattering came form it. At that moment Arthur recognized the female squirrel. It was the little squirrel girl he had met all those years ago with Merlin. She had saved him from that wolf. She had cried when he turned human and left. Arthur looked at her through his tear filled eyes wondering if the little squirrel remembered him, or if it even was the same one. She moved closer to him smelling his shoes. Suddenly it climbed up his legging and tunic reaching his shoulder. Slowly he lifted a hand and stroked the squirrel softly. And the squirrel returned the touch. She remembered him. Arthur smiled softly and sat down. He had no idea if she understood him but still he spoke. He told her all that had happened since the day they had met. The squirrel just hugged him like she had when he had turned human. Then he noticed. He felt the same for the little squirrel. None had forgotten the other. Both had had each other in their minds. More than one day had passed when Arthur had seen a squirrel and thought of that. She had risked her life for him and he had thanked her by breaking her heart. And it seemed she had never forgotten the boy squirrel that turned into human. This…this was his first love. It had lasted minutes, and at the age he was he had pushed it away. Now here he was…miserable. Maybe, if he had been older he would have asked Merlin to leave him a squirrel…in fact…he would ask. He got up holding her close and began walking back to Camelot. The little squirrel wiped the tears, a low little scratch from her nails tickled him. He smiled. It was time to return the favor she had done to him so long ago.

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a/n: So not sure if to continue this or leave it one shot. If I get any more ideas on the side I might keep it going. 


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